To think my cat sitter was in the wrong?

You need to get a cat flap. Then none of this would have happened.

I think it’s very different having a cat outside most of the day when you’re home from work and can keep an eye. I’d not be comfortable locking any animal out of their home 22 hours a day with no one on hand to monitor them, so I wouldn’t have taken the job.

You are right. Kids are way more work. And this idiot can't manage a cat.

Poor old Olivia, being forced to go outside.. I'd not force my cat to go out

Oh owner of 9 cats BTW. Before anyone starts.

yes because kids and cats are exactly the same.

Cats are fine outside.

There is something wrong with you love. I spent days with fans, curtains closed, frozen bottles and putting water outside for cats belonging to dickheads. You can't stick a cat out for 4 days in that heat and send someone round to see if it is ok now and again.

I hope it goes and finds another home. Chirst I hope you haven't got kids.

disclaimer: i am not clutching my pearls at the thought of a cat outside whatever the weather.

There are so many ppl who don’t know anything about cats who have such strong, ill-informed opinions. So many people who these days cart cats off to rehoming centres to “check their chip” when the cat is simply out and about, meowing, etc. “They’re lost”. Urgh. Of course your cat would be fine outside if that’s where they usually live. They didn’t always have roofs over their heads. Think of cats in Greece! The cat would find shade, lick herself to stay cool. The cat sitter was wrong, and so many on this thread are too. I think your vote percentage is more reflective of the number of people who don’t have or understand cats. I know I’m (rightfully) going to get hatred for this but they’re probably the people who also use the phrase “fur babies”. Yanbu.

Team Cat Sitter, here. Your cat needs access to your home for comfort and to be out of the elements. My cats were flat out in the heat and came inside regualrly to lie on the cool tiles. Get a microchip catflap.

Cat 💩 isn't pleasant, but it's not a big deal.

Of course it's unkind.

Cat's will snooze under a bush during the day because it's light and they can see predators.

At night time they need to be higher up to keep an eye out and if they're not, they can't truly relax and sleep so will end up exhausted.

The RSPCA wouldn't deal with this as they'd see it as cruelty on to low a level for them to intervene.

However, that doesn't mean it isn't cruel or that the OP should be a cat owner.

Yes she should have followed your instructions under normal circumstances, but the last 4 days haven't been that.

I would much rather have come home to a shit on my floor than a sick or dead cat. It's been absolutely sweltering here over the last 4 days, highs of 35c.

I know you've said the cat has access to water and shelter but for reference we have a duck bath that's about 6 inches deep and we've had to fill it up twice a day because it's been so hot it's evaporated.

My cat opted not to be in on the really hot days.
It's been 32 degrees in my living room, and 34 upstairs. He found himself a nice dirt patch in the shade outside and has made every attempt to escape when brought inside!

If they've got plenty of shade, dry food and fresh water out I can't see why Olivia should be shut in. Yes it was hot last week, but under bushes, or in long grass it was ok and probably cooler than being indoors. Would be different if it was freezing and there was snow.

I've barely seen my in/outdoor cats during the heat, they come for food and to check I'm working then go off into the bushes. Having had to crawl under one huge bush to get one, to give him his daily tablet, I can definitely say it was way cooler under there than indoors!

The cat sitter should have done as instructed. Personally I don't like mine being left out for nore than a few hours without access to come inside and don't like them left out at night but you know your cats and what they're used to.

A bush isn't shelter - they really need somewhere inside to go if they wish. A shed, a garage, a cat house etc.

Mine has been indoors a lot during the heatwave as even in the shade, the temperatures were in the early thirties.

YANBU. Your cats, your decision: you were quite clear in your instructions and it's not up to the cat sitter to go against them. If they were concerned they should have contacted you to check. I would definitely leave a realistic review.

Cats normally find cool shady areas in a heatwave. My cat spends a lot of time indoors normally but has been out a lot during the hot weather - he tends to hide under a bush. As long as the cat had access to shelter, food and water I don't think it is unkind to keep them out.

Why don't you have a cat flap?

Your instructions were cruel and I'd have ignored them too.

You need to rethink because I don't imagine her or any other local catsitters will take a booking from you again.

It sounds very much as if this is not a situation where there is a cool outbuilding for the cat to retreat to or you would have mentioned it.

I wouldn't look at a garden and feel confident to evaluate whether there would be enough shade throughout the day, especiallly on an exceptionally hot day with no breeze.

I can understand why your instructions weren't followed on this occasion. I would let it go.

My cat comes and goes as he pleases - we have a cat flap. And in the hot weather he never stays indoor during the day. He prefers staying outside, sleeping in shady undergrowth / little woods near my house. So unless have concrete car park instead of garden, the cat sitter is out of order for not following the instructions.

It sounds like you should have a cat flap, that would solve your problem.

I also don’t love the idea of a cat being locked outside during a heatwave. In fairness, over the last week our cat has chosen to spend most of the day outside (under a thick hedge), but we have a cat flap and he always has the option to come inside.

If the only reason for you not wanting the cat inside is because it will toilet outside the tray, just get a flap so it can go outside!

Either way I think this is relatively a minor event. No disaster happened because the cat was inside. She used her judgement for what she felt was best, and though it didn’t align with your instructions, if the only negative impact was a poo on the floor (which is the work of moments to clean up) then I would let this go and move on.